A bit of a departure from writer Kurtis Wiebe’s usually somewhat more serious work, Rat Queens is a fantasy-comedy by Wiebe and co-creator/artist Roc Upchurch. The titular Rat Queens are an all-female group of adventurers that keep the town of Palisade safe from all kinds of monsters, goblins, bandits, and assorted beasties. But, the raging parties and barroom brawls started by the Rat Queens have done more damage than all the monsters ever did. After another such destructive brawl, the Rat Queens are sentenced to community service, clearing out a cave, much to their chagrin.
As a council of elders discusses problems in Palisade, the Rat Queens bust through the window, ending yet another of their barroom fights. As punishment, they along with many of the rival adventuring groups in Palisade are sentenced to community service taking care of various problems around town. As the Queens trudge to a goblin infested cave, the group talks and reveals more of their characters. Once reaching the cave, it seems that things aren’t quite what was expected and the Rat Queens get to have at least one more fight.
Wiebe consistently comes up with great ideas for his various comics, and Rat Queens is no exception. Something like a lewd, crude D&D game, the book combines fantasy elements with toilet humor, swear words, bad-ass ladies, and more than a few jabs at the fantasy genre as a whole. Each of the characters is fun and instantly distinct, each not only a different fantasy race but a different sort of a person as a whole. Even as it pays homage to the fantasy genre, it makes everything so modern. The cussing and modern dialogue are in sharp contrast to the usual way in which fantasy stories are written, as is the inclusion of what is essentially a cellphone in the story. With great characters and already fantastic world building the plot itself is almost unnecessary, even though it’s quite interesting in its own right, as I’d read mostanything that involved these characters.
Upchurch’s art makes what is already a fantastic idea and great story a truly engaging and fantastic comic. That double page spread that acts as the title page shows readers exactly what Upchurch can do. It’s a big statement from the artist, and almost perfectly encapsulates the Rat Queens in their poses and expressions. His fight sequences are top notch and the visuals there are some of the best in the whole book, capturing the motion of the characters and making it fluid. The distinct looks of each character, even beyond their obvious differences as different fantasy races, helps with the character building that Wiebe already made so strong, making these characters even more likable and enjoyable.
It’s pretty safe to say that this is going to be another big hit from Image Comics. The story, art, and characters are all built and fashioned with such quality that it’ll be hard to find someone who isn’t a fan of this book. It’s fun, irreverent, has great characters, great story, great art, and even a joke or two. Go ahead and buy it when it comes out on 9/25.
Art: 10/10
Script: 10/10
Parental Concern: Cussing, blood, violence, and some suggestive language. Maybe buy the kids something else.
